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Cover sent by Brigadier General James S Stowell


Thor996
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another cover from the same collection I recently acquired: A cover sent from Casablanca, Morocco by Brigadier General James S Stowell. The original owner of the collection typed the information on the cover.

information from:

 

http://apps.westpointaog.org/Memorials/Article/7578/

 

 

In June 1944 Colonel Stowell was ordered to Air Transport Command Headquarters in Washington, DC for reassignment. Upon his arrival he was notified that he was being promoted to brigadier general. His new assignment was to be Commanding General, North African Division, Air Transport Command with Headquarters at Casablanca, Morocco.

In January 1945 a courier from the War Department reported to General Stowell to inform him of a conference to be held in February 1945 at Yalta in the Crimea, Soviet Union. The President of the United States, the Prime Minister of Great Britain and the Premier of the Soviet Union with their staff were among those to be in attendance. General Stowell and the North African Division were to be operationally responsible for transporting the United States and British parties from the island of Malta to the Crimea, with little or no navigational aids. History has recorded the success of this mission, and the safe return of all those who took part.

With the Allied victory in Europe in May 1945, North Africa Division was given the gigantic task of transporting thousands of troops from the theater in Europe to the still active Pacific Theater. During the month of August, over 50,000 men were returned to the United States. With the final victory over Japan in September 1945, General Stowell was ordered back to the United States to assume command of the North Atlantic Division, Air Transport Command at Manchester, New Hampshire. Duty at Manchester was of short duration for soon Jim was sent to Fort MacArthur, California, to head two panels to select officers for the Regular Air Corps.

General Stowell played key roles in two of the largest airlifts in history. In 1948 during the Berlin Airlift he commanded the world’s largest depot—the San Antonio Air Materiel Area—which was the sole supplier of aircraft engines to the transports flying the airlift. And during his command of the Continental Division of Military Air Transport Service, he directed the flying of high priority cargo and personnel to Japan and Korea, and the return of wounded Allied personnel to the United States.

Jim retired from Kelly Air Force Base in May 1955 after 31 years of distinguished service. His medals include; The Distinguished Service Cross, Legion of Merit, Air Medal, Grand Officer in Sheferian Empire (Morocco), Grand Officer of Order of Nickan Tfikhar (Tunisia), Commander of French Legion of Honor, Order of the Star of Africa (Liberia). He also held the honorary rank of Private First Class in the French Foreign Legion and had honorary wings in the French, Spanish and Chinese Air Forces.

 

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